A Day I will Remember
by Tide Ruglia
Summary: Terrible weather, lonely feelings, and unwanted memories on a Valentine's Day. Yet these are things that make certain days more memorable. Conan x Ai.


**A Day I Will Remember**

Disclaimer: All DC characters belong to their respective owner. I'm just using them for my own recreation P. The stuff written here is mine though.

Author's Notes:

Revision History –

V 1.3: Another few tweaks. Might be the last few unless I want to keep it completely IC

V.1.2: Few minor changes to what my editor suggested

V.1.1: Fixed a few major OOC parts. Reorganized the structure better

V.1: Done story

NOTES: OOC believable Conan and Ai (Read: Not to extreme degrees). But what did you expect from a Conan x Ai story?

This story is roughly based off a personal experience. I have a friend that I knew since we were in grade 4. I didn't really get to know her until late grade 9 or so. But she's been there to look out for me since god knows when. I like her very much as a friend and I guess this is how this story got started. In case you're wondering, it was raining horribly and I couldn't carry the umbrella properly with the flowers, so I was drenched when I came back. They also screwed up my order too and I'm somehow also unbelievably girl shy (took me until grade 11 to call a girl without feeling nervous and grade 12 before I even slow danced). But enough about me – that is how the story ideas came together though. Now without further ado…

_Pit-pat-pit-pat-pit-pat_

Grey. That was the word for the day as she looked out the window. Gloomy skies had covered what seemed like eternity and the only thing that was passing through their thickness were the tranquil transparent droplets of water otherwise known as rain.

_Pit-pat-pit-pat-pit-pat_

The sound was gentle but contained definite impact as each drop fell to the floor. Almost like an echo into the past being brought back, then cleansed away by its own moisture as it lands. It was a purifier that would always bring back those secluded memories, and made them fade away as soon as they were recalled.

It was the only time that she would remove the mask and show how she really felt.

'_And after every storm, the clouds would blanket the sky as if to cover what emotions were shown before'_, she thought silently with a slight smirk. _'It's almost as if it silently mocks me'_.

Without a word, or any noise at all, she got up from her seat and walked towards a nearby calendar sitting on a desk. It was Feb 14th – Valentine's Day. She loathed this celebration. In fact, in her opinion, it was a mere excuse for corporate companies to gain more money. Unless you're part of a florist, a Hallmarks or worse, some store selling contraceptives, it shouldn't even be considered a holiday. But she could deal with that; after all, she's not the one getting scammed. What did get to her was how this day managed to give her painful reminders every time.

_Pit-pat-pit-pat-pit-pat_

She thought about something else, like the day when she first got here. With the rain equally fierce, showing her no mercy as they soaked the clothes she wore. People stared at her, awkward looks gazed upon her as they saw a child of no more than 7 run within the drops without an umbrella. Although the wind was blowing equally harshly, her mind was only concerned about reaching the one place where there would be somebody that she could trust.

But she couldn't make it, having collapsed just meters in front of his house. She was most certain that she was going to die that time. How ironic that her own attempted suicide would fail, that her own creation would betray her and leave her to the same fate that she tried to escape from. Yet when she awoke, she was lying down on a soft mattress with an old man around his 50s tending for her.

Even though she urged him not to help her, that doing so would only get him into dangers far beyond his imagination the only thing that she remembered he said was: "It's alright. I'm already involved." And no matter how hard she tried at the time to push away his care, he wouldn't let her. This man who's only known her for a few hours had already decided to adopt her like family. He didn't pry into the past that she didn't want to reveal yet he remained trusting as ever. It was almost as if this eccentric old man had become a second father to her. The feelings only became stronger when they both decided upon another name that she would temporarily adopt – Haibara Ai. He looked so proud, so happy when they had finally come to a mutual agreement that it almost scared her.

Yet now, she would not have it any other way. If it wasn't for the good professor's odd acts, she would probably have gone insane from constantly living in fear. She was grateful of Hakase's hospitality and she had meant to tell him how thankful she was, but she wasn't really used to admitting to her feelings.

There's also the consideration that Haibara thought it was unnecessary to say anything half the time. There were mutual feelings that both sides understood even if it wasn't said. Which, when leading back to Valentine's Day, is another reason she feels it's a stupid holiday.

'_4:30…that means school ended around one hour and 30 minutes ago'_ Haibara realized from the clock sitting next to the calendar. She had told the professor that she wasn't feeling all that well when she woke up. Of course, he wanted to take her to see a doctor, but she had insisted it wasn't physically related. In short, she didn't attend school. Not that it would really matter for her. She could be missing classes everyday and she would still understand what was going on. How could you not when you were 18 years of age learning grade one material?

Still, it was enjoyable from time to time. The material that they were being 'taught' wasn't stressful at all. And there were a lot of things that she could remember that she enjoyed doing as a kid that she stopped pursuing during her early teens. If there wasn't a constant reminder that she was being hunted, she might even admit to enjoying her second childhood.

_Pit-pat-pit-pat_

She could recall Valentine's Day when she was still over in America. People labeled her as an outcast because of her half Asian heritage and others who thought she was too smart treated her as if she was a stuck up brat. All those memories only reminded her of how isolated she was. '_Funny how some things just don't change over the years'._ Isolation, Solitude, Loneliness…the three things Haibara Ai had to deal with then and still had to deal with now. No matter how she looked at it, she was still an outcast, still isolated and different from the rest of the children. And no matter how hard she would try not to be reminded of the truth, it would always come back and haunt her – the pangs of loneliness of being isolated from the one person that mattered.

"_The one who should be worried is you, Shiho! Come on! Stop making that stupid drug! Just go out and find a boyfriend! I'm perfectly okay!"_

Haibara closed her eyes shut as she felt tears forming despite her resistance. _'Sis…why…why didn't you…?'_, she asked quietly, hoping to hear her sister's voice. An answer, a laugh or even just completing what she was thinking – anything would've have done. As her eyes blurred the vision she saw, the only thing she could hear was the silence of the tapping rain on the window. And a door bell ring.

'_Door bell?'_ Haibara thought, _'Did Hakase leave the door keys behind again?' _She proceeded to grab some tissue so he wouldn't know that she was crying. Placing the indifferent features she was so used to showing as well as she could, she proceeded to wipe the tears from her eyes.

"Oi…Haibara… It's me!"

'_That voice…'_, she thought with certain amusement. She washed her face with cold water, and after making certain that there was no trace of tears or water left, she headed for the front door. The bell had rung several more times and the voice had gotten more urgent sounding.

" Haibara! God damn it! It's wet AND cold out here! Are you trying to drown me? "

Sure enough, standing outside of the door she just opened was a 7 year old, blue eyed, raven haired boy. His traditional blue jacket was indeed soaked to the core, and his hair was incredibly damp. If it wasn't for the rain, it would look as if he had been the primary target of some water fight. In his hands was a gigantic stack of what appeared to be cards.

" Good afternoon, Edogawa-kun. I didn't know people took showers with their clothes on nowadays", she teased him with certain satisfaction before letting him in.

"Haha, you're not funny. What were you doing? Looking pretty? ", Edogawa Conan muttered audibly as he walked in, literally dripping water everywhere. The 17 year old high school detective, turned 7 due to unfortunate circumstances, attempted to dry himself off but wasn't really successful.

"So why are you here?" she asked bluntly before closing the door that he had just walked in from. The quicker she could get him to leave, the better. The last thing she wanted was to be interrogated by this boy when she wasn't exactly feeling all that well in the first place. "I was certain that anyone in the right mind would have gone home in this pouring rain. Especially an hour and a half after school has ended"

"…Are you trying to insult me?" the boy was not amused. His expression right now looked as if he had just heard another of Professor Agasa's corny word jokes. "I came here because due to a certain **someone**, I ended up becoming their personal delivery boy for the class today"

She snickered. The way he had just said that made it as if he had become her personal slave. And that produced multiple images of humiliating things that she could have him do; all the more fun when mocking him.

"Well, what is it that you're delivering, my personal servant? I hope it's not water. Because otherwise, you're spilling it all over the floor", she smirked with mock enjoyment. Really, she knew she should at least help him dry off, but watching him flail around and dust himself off was more entertaining. At least until he finally gave up and asked if she could at least do something instead of standing there watching him make a fool out of himself.

"Couldn't you pick a better time to make fun of me?" he questioned slightly irritated as he ruffled his hair from drying it with a towel. He took the blazer off his shoulder and hung it on a nearby rack. The white dress shirt that he wore normally had watermarks around the shoulder, proving that he had been in the rain for quite some time now. Realizing how much more soaked he still was, he excused himself temporarily to go into the bathroom.

"Just what exactly have you been doing to get that drenched?" she asked when he finally came out. Sure, being outside for an hour and a half in that weather would get anyone to look like they had just walked into a pool. But Edogawa-kun of all people would have to be caught in another murder case before he decided that standing in the torrential downpour was good for him.

"I've been running errands. I caught up with Hakase when I went down to the florist to pick up something. He wanted me to do a few things for him and said he was going to be a bit late", he said rather flatly.

The change of tone in his voice was noticeable. He was onto something.

'…_don't say it, Kudo-kun. Don't say it…'_

He adjusted his glasses before placing his hands back into his pockets. "Perhaps you can tell me now why you weren't exactly at school today?"

She blinked, _'Why exactly did he have to?'_

She could either respond truthfully, about the memories that she would recall and how moody, agitated and out of it she would become afterwards. Or she can try to lie and delude him.

"I wasn't feeling well", she explained, hoping that Hakase didn't mention anything about her.

"From what?"

She bit her lip. Normally he wouldn't ask any further. A person feeling sick was understandable. But if he had decided to drive deeper instead of just scratching the surface, then he knows something is up. He was definitely trying to direct her to tell him. To tell him how about what she had been thinking.

"I don't recall giving you permission to dig into my life, Kudo-kun." her voice contained a certain amount of bitterness to it, almost warning the shrunken detective to watch what territory he was stepping into. Unfortunately for her, Edogawa Conan didn't look one bit threatened. His eyes only gazed right into hers, looking at her with an equal amount of ferocity.

"Then perhaps you can tell me why. Why you weren't feeling well." He asked, unfazed by the poison in her words. "Unless of course, this has to do with your life"

"No, it doesn't." she responded in monotone, hoping he would drop it, "Besides, even if it did, why would it concern you? I just had a migraine, that's all." The monotone was so perfect that one couldn't tell she was lying. She didn't stutter or look away or did anything that would place doubt in her statement. Yet…

"So you plan on continuing the act? I know you're lying, Haibara." Conan stated with conviction. Although relatively calm, his words contained so much intensity that the peaceful environment that they shared just a minute ago had vanished like rain hitting the floor. "You can fake your tears, but when it comes to lying, you can't run from the facts. Why are you lying?" An awkward silence filled the room, hiding away the animosity of the atmosphere. Only the rain and the crashing of thunder could be heard.

_Pit-pat-pit-pat-pit-pat_

"How did you know?" she asked him, breaking the trail of the rain. Staring straight into him she asked again, "How did you know that…? "

"It was too simple. I already thought it was weird that you weren't with Hakase when I was talking to him. If you were actually sick, it would make more sense that you would be with him. Although he didn't tell me why you weren't feeling well, when I came in just now, you're eyes were red and a little puffy. Furthermore, when I went to washroom, the towel was still damp, which confirms to me that you had washed your face to get rid of the tear stains only recently. I know it wasn't anything physically related – you don't cry over a migraine, Haibara. You might not feel like doing anything, but you don't feel like crying from a migraine. Putting that together, there was only one explanation: Something was troubling you."

"Brilliant deduction, Mr.Detective," She applauded, sarcasm dripping in her voice, "Now then tell me why you care so much that you wanted me to tell you."

"Idiot", Conan replied with concern in his voice, "What if this has something to do with the Organization? What if you knew they were coming and decided not to tell us because you didn't want us involved? You know you always get tense when they come by. Who knows if you 'not feeling well' were related to that? We were worried you know. I didn't want to dig into your private life, but if it's going to affect your current safety, I want to know."

Haibara was silent. For once, she didn't have anything snappy she could say back to him.

'_Kudo-kun…'_

"I promised I would protect you, right? So why do you insist on hiding these things? We're friends aren't we? Why can't you trust me enough to tell me what's bothering you? "

What was there that she could say? Here was the boy whose life she ruined with her creation, the APTX 4869, yet he was declaring that he would stand by her no matter what?

"Kudo-kun", her voice just barely noticeable, "Would you be friends and protect a murderer with your life? Would you trust them?"

"What!"

"Because that's exactly what you're doing by claiming what you had just said"

Conan gave her a look of disbelief.

"Haibara, listen to me", he stated with firmness "I don't know what you're thinking for the past 7 hours of the day, but you are not a murderer. I told you that once but it seems you didn't believe me so let me say it again: I don't consider you responsible for the condition that I'm in right now. You're not a killer. You're not the one that's administering the drug to people or slipping it into their food. If what you did was considered murder, then Alfred Nobel would be locked behind a million bars for every person that's misused explosives. And I'm sure you don't consider him a killer. What makes you different? You didn't ruin my life. Quite the opposite - you saved me when you labeled me as 'Dead' on the data sheet. Although I don't LIKE being a 7 year old kid, I could be six feet under right now if you had decided not to mark me dead. And that's worse. I don't understand why you think any of this is your fault. It isn't."

Silence once again filled the room, but with a much more tranquil ambiance.

_Pit-pat-pit-pat_

It was Conan's turn to disrupt the rainfall. He took a deep breath before asking for what seems to be the millionth time, "Now can you tell me what's wrong?"

Haibara looked back at him knowing he wouldn't exactly drop this until he knew it was nothing threatening, "It wasn't anything related to the Organization. I was just thinking about my past memories. I always do when it rains. It's as if the weather is sharing my thoughts and pains. And it helps that much more to know that there's something that understands you. Valentine's Day just brought back my solitude when I was growing up."

"And that made you realize how alone you still are as you thought of your sister", Conan stated factually, finishing her sentence.

She only nodded, before looking away from him. They walked back to the professor's living room before Conan continued.

"Well, you shouldn't feel alone anymore. Whatever was troubling you in the past on Valentine's Day, I am almost certain that you won't be troubled this year."

"And why is that?" she demanded dangerously. Its not as if he understood what she had to go through. He was always popular when he was a high school detective. And he's still popular now, even though he's become an elementary student. He didn't have his family snatched away from him. The nerve…

" Because…" he said with a slight pause as he took the stack of cards and dropped it onto the desk, "these are all for you. "

Haibara looked at the stack of cards on the table.

" 'Get well soon'? " she questioned out loud, almost as if the words were foreign.

" A lot of people care about you even though you don't know it.", he said smiling back at her, "And this is proof. You don't need a crummy holiday to show how much you care for another person".

She was about to comment before he handed her another box. It was wrapped clumsily, like it had been done within 5 minutes. Without even opening it, she could see a picture frame and the picture inside. It was just her, Hakase and Conan. In the picture, he was standing behind both of them with a big grin on his face, wearing a grey sweater. Conan, in his traditional blazer and grey shorts stood beside her, back to back with a smirk on his face. She remembered this; Hakase had wanted to develop a roll of film from their previous trips but had one or two shots left. So he managed to convince the two of them somehow to help burn the last few shots. They ended up posing for one and nearly destroying the camera in the other. She looked at herself in the picture, noting the smile that she had within the picture. Her fingers gently stroked the side of the frame before the picture itself.

_Pit-pat-pit_

"He pretty much considers you a family", Conan stated with his arms behind his head. "I know that I don't understand how you feel, but you have to realize and cherish what's available in the present. I'm sure your sister would be happy to know that you practically have a second father. 'Don't forget, but don't cling'. Always remember, but don't let it hold you down forever."

"…When exactly did he do this?"

"When he was at the mall. Hakase originally told me he would come by and pick me up." He said as he started zipping up his bag, "But he was more than 15 minutes late when he rushed over, and told me that he was going to pick up dinner. Then he ran off dropping a bag with this on the floor. It was half wrapped when I found it. He was in such haste when he left, he's probably wondering where this is now. Or perhaps he forgot about it."

"And that's also when he told you about me, isn't it?"

"Of course. He said, I should go and make sure 'Ai-kun didn't go and do anything dangerous while minding her personal space.' "

She smiled. It was amazing how the old scientist would worry about her when he could barely live by himself without something exploding. Amazing how he would still consider her family when she was so aloof.

"Ayumi, Mitsuhiko and Genta wanted to come too originally. But I told them not to since the weather was terrible and they would probably end up catching a cold", he said interrupting her thoughts. "They had something to give to you too. Each of them made something after I had explained to them about American Valentine's Day traditions. They said it was 'so much cooler'. Really, it won't be long before they figure out how much of a money waster it is."

She smirked. She had to agree with him on that one. "So it would seem as if everyone but the great detective has prepared a gift for me. What happened? Did you run into a murder or something and forgot to get me something?" she joked. She really wasn't expecting anything, but then again, Conan had always managed to surprise her by doing something completely unpredictable.

And he smiled at her. Not just any smile. It was a traditional Conan 'I-solved-this-case' smile of triumph. Only there wasn't a case to be solved.

'_What do you have up your sleeve, Kudo-kun?'_

"I didn't run into a murder as much as I ended up waltzing under the storm thanks to you", he informed her as he pulled a dry umbrella out from his backpack, "but since you insist…"

Without another word, Conan reached into the bag's back pocket, revealing a dozen of roses.

She looked at him in shock.

'_Red?'_

"Still going to have nightmares about Valentine's Day?" he said with a large grin before giving them to her. "Originally, I had ordered a set of yellow roses. But they told me when I went by to pick them up that they didn't have any in stock but I could get the red ones for no extra charge. I love you as a friend, Haibara Ai - A really good one. I would be heartbroken if I learned something terrible happened to you. So I thought the reds were a good choice."

She took the bouquet from him, holding it like a rare artifact. Did he know what red roses actually meant? Perhaps it was just his way of telling her how he felt – she knew Conan was never great with expressing himself. It would be his way of saying that he would love her almost as if they were romantically involved - and it was definite that he wasn't lying.

"I'm sorry to have worried you. I didn't know you cared…that much", she whispered under her breath. She managed to make eye contact with him again and her face showed much happiness that was absent since the beginning of the day.

"Smile!" he said, winking at her with a cheery expression plastered on to his face, "You look happier and prettier without that frown stapled on 24/7"

"Flattery won't get you anywhere Kudo-kun", she said with a smirk, "Perhaps I **should** start smiling. It does use less muscle. But then again, if I do that, I might end up pulling another you".

"…Hey…what's that supposed to mean?" he said with an annoyed expression on his face. He understood what she was implying, but it's not like he wanted to attract unnecessary attention. "I suppose that you didn't get anything for anyone, right?" he mentioned trying to get the spotlight away from him, "I can't picture you being the type to do anything of this sort."

Normally, she would've been insulted. But today, after everything that just happened…

It was different.

"There's always a first time to everything Kudo-kun. And I suppose starting now won't exactly hurt"

"Oh? And what exactly do you have in mind?"

Now he was interested. What could Haibara Ai possibly come up with less then 7 hours on the clock and horrendous weather? Or perhaps he was just interested in seeing what this normally introverted girl would end up giving away.

"This"

Before he can even ask further, she had already given him a tight hug. He hugged her back, though extremely confused.

"You've given me a reason to smile today. So Kudo-kun, this is just for you"

Conan stood there, stunned.

"Oi…" he stuttered as he reflected upon her words. "Haibara?"

"Yeah?"

"Is this another one of your jokes?"

She could only smile before whispering to him, "You tell me."

And as they embraced, she could see out the window where the skies have finally cleared up. The sun bright in its wake left only trails of light as it continued to shine. The warmth brought to her by the incoming glow only brought back a certain memory; a certain smile that she remembers.

'_Just go out and find a boyfriend!'_

Haibara closed her eyes once more and thought to herself, 'Perhaps…I already have'.

END


End file.
